Posted November 21, 2014 by RentJungle

("New Classroom" by Bart Everson is licensed under CC BY 2.0)If you are moving and have children, undoubtedly a factor of where you decide to live is the quality of the educational system versus the affordability of the school, or the overall cost of living in that area. RealtyTrac recently conducted a study of 25,000 elementary schools in 7,500 zip codes, taking into account test scores, home price and unemployment rates. Here are the results: Markets with Good Schools and Affordable HomesThere were 489 zip codes with elementary schools where 2013 test scores were at least one-third higher than their respective state average and where the average price of a residential property required one-third or less of the median household income. These zip codes also had a maximum unemployment rate of 5.9 percent in September.Cities with the most affordable zip codes with good schools were led by Orlando, Fla., (9), Raleigh, N.C. (8), Phoenix, Ariz., (6), followed by five cities each with five affordable zip codes with good schools: Chandler, Ariz., Colorado Springs, Colo., Grand Rapids, Mich., Lexington, Ky., and Wilmington, N.C.States with the most affordable zip codes with good schools were New York (105), North Carolina (66), Florida (62), Illinois (50), and Michigan (40).The average test score for the best elementary schools in these 359 zip codes was 49 percent higher than their state average.Markets with Good Schools and Unaffordable HomesThere were 127 zip codes with elementary schools where 2013 test scores were at least one-third higher than the state average and where the average price of a residential property required two-thirds or more of the median household income. These zip codes also had a maximum unemployment rate of 5.9 percent in September. Cities with the most unaffordable zip codes with good schools were New York, N.Y. (22), San Francisco, Calif., (8), Flushing, N.Y., (4), Newport Beach, Calif., (4) Oakland, Calif., (4), San Jose, Calif., (4), and Portland, Ore., (3). States with the most unaffordable zip codes with good schools were California (69) and New York (44). No other states had more than three unaffordable zip codes with good schools. The average test score in these 91 zip codes was 60 percent higher than their state average.

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